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Just as the clock expired on the NFL’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline on Tuesday, November 1, the Buffalo Bills made not one, but three moves to solidify what was already a Super-Bowl caliber team.
First, Buffalo acquired Nyheim Hines from the Indianapolis Colts. In exchange, Buffalo sent over running back Zack Moss and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2023. Second, the Bills announced they were trading for Dean Marlowe from the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2023 seventh-rounder.
Lastly, the Bills officially activated cornerback Tre’Davious White. In order to facilitate that move, they released defensive tackle Brandin Bryant and wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins.
Hodgins was immediately claimed off waivers by the New York Giants on Wednesday, November 2, a move that seemed almost inevitable. With former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll as the Giants’ head coach, along with former Bills top brass Joe Schoen as the team’s general manager, there’s been a steady flow of Buffalo’s cuts getting immediately snatched up by the franchise.
“Of course daboll did lol,” one fan tweeted after the news broke, while another person quipped, “New York Bills.” Hodgins is set to fill the last spot on the Giants’ 53-man roster. The Giants now have seven wide receivers on the active roster.
Hodgins’ Injury History Kept Him From Breaking Out in Buffalo
The Bills’ sixth-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft had a rough tenure in Buffalo due to his injury history. The 24-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in training camp which forced him to miss the entirety of his rookie season. He was initially “designated for return” on November 23, 2020, but he re-injured his shoulder in practice just a few days later.
Hodgins tweeted on December 8, 2020, “God’s timing is always perfect! Surgery went well. Time to bounce back 🤞🏽,” and it was that kind of positive attitude that quickly endeared him to Bills Mafia. During his second year with the team, Hodgins was activated during Week 16 of the 2021 season but didn’t record an official snap.
The Oregan alum started the 2022 NFL season on the practice squad but his future seemed bright following his impressive preseason performance. During Buffalo’s three preseason games, he caught 16 receptions for 124 yards.
“It was surreal,” Hodgins said after leading the team in targets (11) and reception (9) in Buffalo’s preseason opener. “It’s just a blessing to be out there with my teammates and (I) got to get a good connection with (backup quarterback) Matt (Barkley). It was just great to get that feeling of catching the ball again. (I’ve) faced some injuries the past couple years so it just felt good to be out there.”
With several Bills’ starters out with injuries last month, Hodgins finally got his chance to make his NFL debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5. During the Bills’ 38-3 win over the Steelers, Hodgins recorded four receptions for 41 yards. While Hodgins was active for Buffalo’s subsequent matchups against the Chiefs in Week 6 and the Packers in Week 8, he remained on the bench.
Bills Fans Were Bummed to See Hodgins Exit
Bills Mafia members were disappointed to see the 6-foot-10, 210-pound receiver head to the other “New York” team. One fan tweeted, “Knew that was going to happen. He’s a good young WR who has been buried on the depth chart and hasn’t gotten a chance. He will probably do well with NYG, ” while another person tweeted to Hodgins, “Best of luck in NY! Glad you’ll get a shot to show what you can do, sad it wasn’t with the Bills.”
“Good for Isaiah Hodgins! Better opportunity for him to see the field with the Giants,” one man tweeted, while another fan added, “Just glad the patriots didn’t get him. Hope Daboll gets him some reps, wishing him the best of luck.”
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